On the grassy lawn of Oak Tree Manor, a bed and breakfast and wedding venue in Spring, stands a 200-year-old oak tree. As local folklore tells it, couples married under this tree will be blessed with happiness, children and love, venue owners said. Oak Tree Manor owner Magdalena Jacobo said she holds between 60-80 weddings each year under this tree or on its surrounding property, which includes a house, a reception area and outdoor space. “The big joy that [my mother] has is being able to witness new love and people getting married,” Jacobo’s son, Daniel Lara, said. Jacobo said she moved to the U.S. in 1981 from Mexico to find work. “All she would pray for was a little piece of land and somewhere to be able to call home,” Lara said. “The original thought was to come to the U.S., make some money and go back to Mexico.” After working as a maid cleaning apartments and even opening her own business—Maggie’s Cleaning and Painting Co.—Jacobo saved enough money to buy a house: a nearly 150-year-old home located on Spring Stuebner Road. The home was built in 1876 by German immigrants, and the original homesteaders—the Wunsche brothers—are local legends even today. After purchasing the property in 2000, Jacobo and her four sons—Daniel, Jose, Orlando and Juan Lara—set to work remodeling. They added new features, such as a pool, while maintaining many of the property’s original items, including the wooden floors, Lara said. Jacobo decided to convert her home into a bed and breakfast in 2007. That same year, Jacobo received a call from a couple who wanted to host a small outdoor wedding on the property, and from there the idea took off, Lara said. Now, the family-owned business focuses on weddings, and Lara said they are also beginning to host events for former guests, including free wine tastings. “[We are] trying to come up with ways to keep them connected to the venue,” Lara said. Oak Tree Manor 5310 Spring Stuebner Road, Spring 281-704-9639 www.oaktreemanor.net Tours: Mon.-Thu. 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri.-Sun. when available